One of the most popular articles I’ve posted on the blog was the one on salaries in the games industry from back in 2008. What made the article extra interesting was that I mined the public H1-B visa database for games companies. Unlike salary surveys, where people can claim arbitrary wages (and the submitted salaries are never posted), the H1-B data contains actual wages! In other words, it is a rare opportunity to get some objective data points on industry salaries.

Since some time has passed since I posted the article I thought it would be interesting to repeat the process, which I did, and here are the results.

Game industry salaries from the 2009 H1-B database

This data below is based on the “H-1B Efile Data” 2009 txt file (a huge zipped text file, link). I mined the file for games companies I recognized, and I converted hourly data into yearly salary using the conversion

yearly salary = hourly salary * 37.5 hours/week * 52 weeks.

Converted salary data is marked with (*) in the table below. While I tried to be thorough, I may have missed a game company or two in that huge data set. Unlike last time, I decided to show all job categories (so programmers, artists, designers, etc).

For programmers it would also be interesting to compare game industry salaries against companies like Google, NVidia, Intel, Netflix, Microsoft, Facebook, and Apple. For artists, relevant comparisons could include Pixar, ILM, Digital Domain, Dreamworks, to name a few. All these companies have salary data points in the H1-B database. I have not performed this comparison, however. I may do so at some later point, or perhaps someone else will step up to the plate and do so.

Unfortunately no Microsoft data went into the table below as it is near impossible to distinguish a Microsoft game developer from a Microsoft Windows (or whatever) developer in the H1-B data. There are a few exceptions that stand out as game developer positions, but I didn’t try to extract all of these. Some include “lead vehicle artist” ($85,000), “technical art lead” ($95,000), “general manager (live games)” ($230,000), and “general manager (windows live games)” ($220,000). I can say, though, that the average programmer salary at Microsoft (across all job categories) is $92,400.

Employer

State

Job title

Wage

Disney Online

CA

Director, Technology

$157,500

Electronic Arts

CA

Technical Director

$150,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Senior Software Engineer II

$150,000

Popcap Games

WA

Game Designer (Commercial Designer)

$146,250*

WMS Gaming

IL

Director Of Product Marketing

$145,000

SCEA

CA

Sr. Graphics Programmer

$140,000

Papaya Studio

CA

Computer Systems Analyst

$140,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Art Director

$136,700

Electronic Arts

CA

Senior Software Engineer I

$131,000

Zipper Interactive

WA

Lead Software Engineer

$130,800

Take-Two Interactive

CA

Software Engineer (Development Tools)

$130,275

SCEA

CA

Staff Software Engineer

$126,799

SCEA

CA

Sr. Staff Software Engineer

$126,026

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Animator

$125,751

Playdom

CA

Software Engineer

$125,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Database Architect

$125,000

Disney Online

CA

Director, Internal Communications

$125,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Global Manager, Localization

$124,600

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Engineer, Real-Time Strategy Group

$124,440

Electronic Arts

TX

Principal Project Manager (Engineer)

$123,000

NCsoft Corporation

CA

Lead Animator

$121,540

NCsoft Corporation

CA

Lead Animator

$121,540

Namco Networks

CA

Lead Programmer

$121,534

Disney Online

FL

Manager, Software Engineering

$121,050

SCEA

CA

Staff Graphics Software Engineer

$120,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Producer I

$120,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Configuration Management Engineer

$120,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Financial Analyst

$120,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Senior Software Engineer

$120,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer

$116,792

Electronic Arts

CA

Technical Director

$116,792

Electronic Arts

CA

Technical Director

$116,792

WMS Gaming

GA

Principal Software Engineer

$115,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Software Engineer II

$115,000

Rockstar Games

NY

Art Manager And Director

$114,754

Electronic Arts

CA

Manager Applications – Bids

$114,275

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Artist II

$110,800

NCsoft Corporation

CA

Lead Effects Artist

$110,510

NCsoft Corporation

CA

Lead Effects Artist

$110,510

Epic Games

NC

Lead Programmer

$110,410

Titan Studios

WA

Senior Programmer

$110,000

Secret Level

CA

Software Engineer

$110,000

Secret Level

CA

Software Engineer

$110,000

Insomniac Games

CA

Senior Designer

$110,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Senior Database Administrator

$110,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Senior Oracle Database Administrator

$110,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Global Audit Manager (Accountant)

$109,095

Activision Publishing

CA

Programmer Analyst

$109,000

Crystal Dynamics

CA

Sr. Tools Pipeline Programmer

$108,500

Activision Blizzard

CA

Design Specialist

$108,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Cinematic Artist II

$107,000

Disney Online

CA

Senior Flash Developer

$106,808

California 7 Studios

UT

Senior Game Engineer

$106,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Mngr, Ecommerce & Marketing Analytics

$105,186

Total Immersion

CA

Producer (Art Production)

$105,000

SCEA

CA

Staff Business Systems Analyst

$105,000

Rockstar San Diego

CA

Cinematic Lead Animator

$105,000

Rockstar San Diego

CA

Programmer

$105,000

Disney Online

CA

Sr. Bus. Intelligence Syst. Reporting Eng.

$105,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$104,894

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer (Lead Programmer)

$104,894

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer III

$104,894

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$104,894

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$104,894

WMS Gaming

IL

Senior Developer II

$104,701

Activision Publishing

CA

Senior Software Engineer

$104,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Cinematic Artist II

$103,200

SCEA

CA

Sr. Software Engineer

$103,042

Activision Publishing

CA

Design Specialist

$103,000

SCEA

OR

Software Engineer

$102,894

Ubisoft

CA

Director Of US Licensing

$102,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer III

$102,000

Big Fish Games

WA

Senior Software Engineer

$101,700

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer III

$101,693

Valve Corporation

WA

Software Engineer

$101,608

Valve Corporation

WA

Software Engineer

$101,608

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

3d Artist

$101,400*

Rockstar San Diego

CA

3d Artist

$101,000

Disney Online

CA

Manager, Web Analytics And Reporting

$101,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Character Technical Animator

$100,776

Electronic Arts

CA

Systems Engineer II

$100,469

WMS Gaming

IL

Senior Software Engineer – Online

$100,000

WMS Gaming

IL

Senior Software Engineer – Online

$100,000

THQ

AZ

Shared Services Director

$100,000

THQ

TX

Art Director

$100,000

Rockstar Games

NY

Senior Product Manager

$100,000

LucasArts

CA

Project Manager

$100,000

LucasArts

CA

Senior Software Engineer

$100,000

High Moon Studios

CA

Programmer

$100,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Cinematic Artist II

$100,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$100,000

Epic Games

NC

Programmer/Physics Simulation

$99,999

WMS Gaming

IL

Lead Gaming Software Engineer

$99,992

SCEA

CA

Product Manager

$98,613

Electronic Arts

GA

Software Engineer

$98,280

SCEA

CA

Staff Database Administrator

$98,000

Crystal Dynamics

CA

Programmer – Animation/Physics

$98,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Vfx Artist

$97,302

Obsidian Entertainment

CA

Lead Technical Engineer

$96,990

SCEA

CA

Computer Artist

$95,019

LucasArts

CA

Gameplay Engineer

$95,000

LucasArts

CA

Core Engineer

$95,000

LucasArts

CA

Core Gameplay/AI Engineer

$95,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Senior Software Developer

$95,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Design Specialist

$95,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Business Operations Specialist

$95,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Senior Systems Administrator

$95,000

Activision Publishing

MN

Business Operations Specialist

$95,000

SCEA

CA

Sr. Web Site Technologist

$94,000

SCEA

CA

Lead 3d Modeler

$94,000

High Moon Studios

CA

Senior Programmer

$94,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Cinematic Artist I

$93,808

Zipper Interactive

WA

Software Engineer

$93,600

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Animator

$93,500

Ubisoft

CA

PR Mngr (Editorial Talent Rel. Dir.)

$93,011

Ubisoft

CA

PR Dir. (Editorial Talent Rel. Dir)

$93,004

Electronic Arts

TX

Senior Character Artist

$93,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Cinematic Artist I

$92,310

SCEA

CA

Compiler Engineer

$92,000

SCEA

CA

Senior Game Designer

$90,824

Disney Online

CA

Software Engineer

$90,473

Electronic Arts

CA

Mngr, Global Royalty Analysis And Mgmt

$90,313

Insomniac Games

CA

Animator

$90,064

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Senior Technical Artist

$90,001

SCEA

CA

Senior Web Technologist

$90,000

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Principal Artist

$90,000

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Senior Engineer

$90,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Animator Multimedia Artist/Animator

$90,000

Electronic Arts

TX

Senior Concept Artist

$90,000

Edge Of Reality

TX

Graphic Design Specialist

$90,000

Edge Of Reality

TX

Senior Graphic Designer

$90,000

Edge Of Reality

TX

Lead Graphic Designer

$90,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Computer Graphic Designer

$90,000

ArenaNet

WA

Web Programming Team Lead

$90,000

Rockstar San Diego

CA

Programmer

$89,980

Rockstar San Diego

CA

Programmer

$89,980

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Senior Software Engineer

$89,939

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Associate Producer I

$89,939

Electronic Arts

CA

Senior Designer

$89,939

Playdom

CA

Software Engineer

$89,253

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Software Engineer III

$89,211

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Cinematic Artist I

$89,107

Disney Online

FL

Software Engineer

$89,006

THQ

CA

Senior Programmer

$89,000

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Senior Database Engineer

$88,400

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Senior Database Engineer

$88,400

Electronic Arts

TX

Craft Director

$88,130

SCEA

OR

Sr. Graphics Programmer

$88,000

SCEA

CA

Software Engineer

$87,508

SCEA

CA

Sr. Sw Application Engineer

$86,356

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Senior Software Engineer I

$86,112

Zynga Game Network

CA

Software Engineer

$85,717

Zynga Game Network

CA

Systems Engineer

$85,717

Zynga Game Network

CA

Lead QA Engineer

$85,717

Zynga Game Network

CA

Software Engineer

$85,717

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$85,717

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer

$85,717

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$85,717

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$85,717

Electronic Arts

CA

User Experience Designer II

$85,717

Zynga Game Network

CA

Senior Database Administrator

$85,000

WMS Gaming

IL

Software Engineer

$85,000

WMS Gaming

IL

Software Engineer

$85,000

THQ

TX

Senior Programmer

$85,000

Take-Two Interactive

CA

Quality Assurance Manager

$85,000

SCEA

CA

Developer Support Engineer

$85,000

Naughty Dog

CA

Senior Production Artist

$85,000

Naughty Dog

CA

Senior Production Artist

$85,000

Just Games

CA

Bio-Physiology Specialist

$85,000

Jailed Games

CA

Bio-Physiology Specialist

$85,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Marketing Analyst – Brand

$85,000

Disney Online

FL

Software Engineer

$84,970

Electronic Arts

CA

Senior Environment Modeler

$84,798

LucasArts

CA

Character Artist

$84,115

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Ass. Computer Graphics Supervisor

$84,000

Rockstar Games

NY

Senior Web Designer

$83,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Animator

$82,867

Epic Games

NC

Multimedia Software Project Specialist

$82,774

Electronic Arts

CA

Computer Graphic Artist

$82,423

SCEA

CA

Software Quality Assurance Engineer

$82,000

SOE

WA

Graphic Designer (Artist)

$81,850

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Software Engineer

$81,550

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Sr. Cinematic Artist I

$81,515

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Cinematic Modeller

$81,307

Rockstar Games

NY

Associate Producer

$81,000

NCsoft Corporation

WA

International Development Manager

$81,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Senior Software Engineer

$80,974

Ubisoft

CA

PR Mngr (Editorial Talent Rel. Dir.)

$80,800

THQ

IL

Senior Production Artist

$80,000

THQ

NY

Senior Production Artist

$80,000

SOE

CA

Oracle Database Administrator

$80,000

Insomniac Games

CA

Gameplay Programmer

$80,000

Disney Online

CA

Senior Financial Analyst

$80,000

Ubisoft

CA

Editorial Talent Relations Director

$79,960

Disney Online

CA

Senior Business Systems Analyst

$79,695

LucasArts

CA

Character Technical Director

$78,000*

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$77,513

High Moon Studios

CA

Senior Programmer

$77,200

Disney Online

CA

Associate Technical Staff

$77,025

Disney Online

CA

Associate Technical Staff

$77,025

SCEA

CA

Technical Artist

$77,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Computer Graphic Artist

$76,814

Disney Online

NY

Flash Engineer

$75,920

Activision Publishing

CA

Programmer Analyst

$75,700

SOE

CA

Software Engineer

$75,599

Ubisoft

CA

Int’l Product Manager

$75,000

Manifest Games

CA

3d Artist

$75,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Level Designer Multi-Media Artist/Animator

$75,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$75,000

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Senior Software Engineer

$74,984

Electronic Arts

CA

Product Designer

$74,984

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Technical Artist

$74,900

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Cinematic Artist

$74,401

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Cinematic Artist

$74,400

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Database Administrator II

$74,110

LucasArts

CA

Character Artist

$74,100*

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer

$74,100*

Crystal Dynamics

CA

Artist (Computer Graphics Animation)

$73,911

Crystal Dynamics

CA

Artist (Computer Graphics Animation)

$73,911

Gearbox Software

TX

Lead Design Specialist

$72,500

SCEA

CA

Environmental Artist

$72,451

Konami

CA

IT Data Center Manager

$72,000

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Software Engineer

$72,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Computer Graphic Artist (Modeler)

$71,600

Zynga Game Network

CA

Software Engineer

$71,594

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer I (Console Engineer)

$70,200*

Take-Two Interactive

CA

Software Engineer

$70,179

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer I

$70,179

SOE

CA

Database Developer

$70,000

Ready At Dawn

CA

Technical Artist

$70,000

Edge Of Reality

TX

Senior Level Designer

$70,000

Double Fine Prod.

CA

3d Character Animator

$70,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Computer Graphic Artist

$70,000

SCEA

CA

Account Support Coordinator

$69,000

High Moon Studios

CA

Programmer

$68,683

High Moon Studios

CA

Programmer

$68,683

Epic Games

NC

Lead Designer

$68,411

Electronic Arts

CA

Computer Graphic Artist

$68,224

Gearbox Software

TX

Lead Design Specialist

$68,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Cinematic Artist

$67,017

Petroglyph Games

NV

Game Programmer

$67,000

High Moon Studios

CA

Network Administrator

$66,600

Take-Two Interactive

NY

Director, Financial Compliance

$66,331

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$66,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Programmer Analyst

$66,000

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Software Engineer

$65,900

WMS Gaming

IL

Software Engineer

$65,000

Naughty Dog

CA

Senior Production Artist

$65,000

Naughty Dog

CA

Senior Production Artist

$65,000

Insomniac Games

CA

Gameplay Programmer

$65,000

Insomniac Games

CA

Gameplay Programmer

$65,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Lead Character Artist

$64,958

Electronic Arts

CA

Artist

$64,958

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer I

$64,350*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

3d Artist

$64,350*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

3d Artist – Environmental

$64,350*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Data Analyst

$64,350*

Activision Publishing

CA

Programmer Analyst

$64,200

Ready At Dawn

CA

Senior Programmer

$63,500

Ready At Dawn

CA

Senior Programmer

$63,500

Konami

CA

Mobile Programmer

$62,500

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Software Engineer II

$62,400

Electronic Arts

CA

Concept Artist

$62,400*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

3d Artist

$62,400*

Namco Networks

CA

Network Systems Analyst

$62,109

Capcom Interactive

CA

Localization Manager

$61,235

WMS Gaming

IL

Software Engineer

$60,910

Electronic Arts

TX

Software Engineer I

$60,450*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Software Engineer

$60,450*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Environmental Artist

$60,450*

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$60,450*

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$60,450*

Activision Publishing

CA

Software Engineer

$60,450*

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Development Manager

$60,029

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Software Engineer

$60,029

Electronic Arts Mobile

CA

Software Engineer

$60,029

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Engineer II

$60,029

Zynga Game Network

CA

Artist/Animator

$60,000

WMS Gaming

NV

Software Engineer

$60,000

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Senior Production Artist

$60,000

Double Fine Prod.

CA

Graphic Designer (Sr. Visual Effects Artist)

$60,000

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Environmental Artist

$60,000

Activision Publishing

CA

Design Specialist

$60,000

Take-Two Interactive

MD

Software Engineer

$59,197

Nintendo

WA

Video Game Senior Artist

$59,100

LucasArts

CA

Associate Engineer

$58,500*

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Computer Graphic Artist

$58,050

WMS Gaming

NV

Associate Gaming Software Engineer

$58,000

ArenaNet

WA

Network Programmer

$58,000

ArenaNet

WA

Programmer

$57,200

Namco Networks

CA

Network Engineer

$57,000

Electronic Arts

UT

Software Engineer

$56,550*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Level Designer

$56,305

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Senior Production Artist

$56,000

Big Fish Games

WA

Software Design Engineer In Test

$56,000

Big Fish Games

WA

Software Development Engineer In Test

$56,000

Activision Publishing

NY

Programmer Analyst

$56,000

Big Fish Games

WA

Associate Internet Marketing Specialist

$55,890

Big Fish Games

WA

Internet Marketing Specialist

$55,890

Playdom

CA

Graphic Designer

$55,000

Page 44 Studios

CA

Database Administrator

$55,000

Neversoft Entertainment

CA

User Interface Programmer

$55,000

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Lighter

$54,558

Disney Online

CA

Game Designer

$53,404

Activision Publishing

CA

Programmer Analyst

$52,650*

Activision Publishing

NY

Programmer Analyst

$52,650*

Activision Publishing

NY

Programmer Analyst

$52,650*

Take-Two Interactive

CA

Graphic Designer

$52,416

Take-Two Interactive

CA

Graphic Designer

$52,416

THQ

TX

Senior Production Artist

$52,000

NCsoft Corporation

WA

Producer

$51,600

ArenaNet

WA

Localization Project Manager

$51,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Software Quality Assurance Analyst

$50,700*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Environmental Artist

$50,700*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Environmental Artist

$50,700*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Cinematic Artist

$50,003

Neversoft Entertainment

CA

Entry-Level User Interface Artist

$50,000

Neversoft Entertainment

CA

Entry-Level Multimedia Artist/Sound Design

$50,000

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Senior Production Artist

$50,000

Electronic Arts

CA

Animator

$48,750*

Big Fish Games

WA

3d Animator

$47,570

Epic Games

NC

Lead Artist/Graphic Designer

$47,507

Backbone Ent.

CA

Animator

$47,500

THQ

CA

Software Engineer

$47,220

Just Games

CA

Art Manager

$47,050

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Web Scripting Engineer

$46,800*

Activision Publishing

CA

Design Specialist

$46,800*

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Community Manager

$46,500

Papaya Studio

CA

3d Character Animator

$46,000

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Production Artist

$45,000

Gearbox Software

TX

Graphic Designer

$45,000

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Associate Technical Artist

$44,850*

Papaya Studio

CA

Computer Graphic Artist

$44,000

MTV/Harmonix

MA

Financial Operations Analyst

$43,680

Electronic Arts Tiburon

FL

Assistant Development Manager

$41,808

Valve Corporation

WA

Bi-Lingual Customer Support Representative

$41,080

Blizzard Entertainment

CA

Associate Software Engineer

$40,950*

Playdom

CA

Graphic Artist

$40,000

Namco Bandai Games

CA

Business Communications Editor

$40,000

High Impact Games

CA

Graphic Designer/Animator

$40,000

ArenaNet

WA

Concept Artist

$39,000

Caveat comparison shopping

Like last time, I feel compelled to point out that before you go ask for a raise because of something you read here, remember that the salaries above do not include or reveal factors like other compensation (bonuses, profit sharing), location and cost of living, seniority, job responsibilities, talent, etc.

[…] filings (mostly in California) but based on my experience it gives you a good idea of the range: http://realtimecollisiondetectio…This answer .Please specify the necessary improvements. Edit Link Text Show answer summary […]